Expansible waistband for trousers



April 15, 1969 P. GOLDBERG 3,438,061

EXPANSIBLE WAISTBAND FOR TROUSERS Filed Dec. 7. 1966 United States Patent 0 3,438,061 EXPANSIBLE WAISTBAND FOR TROUSERS Paul Goldberg, 2854 W. Fargo Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60645 Filed Dec. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 599,781 Int. Cl. A41d 1/06, 13/02; A41c 1/00 U.S. Cl. 2--237 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a novel expansible waistband for trousers in which substantially improved means are provided to afford the expansible characteristics of the waistband.

Elastically expansible waistbands have heretofore been provided in various constructions for trousers, having found special popularity in trousers of the slacks type, both for men and for women. These prior constructions, however, have been lacking in finished neatness, more especially in the expanded state Where elastic material has been exposed at either the outside of the waistband or at the inside of the waistband, or at both places. Another deficiency that has been found in prior constructions has been a tendency for the relatively expansively movable portions of the waistband to offset vertically, which has been solved in certain constructions by special anchoring arrangements to counteract offsetting tendencies but this adds to the labor and material involved and increases the cost of production, and, in general, does not solve the problem of exposure of elastic material and the inherent disadvantages of such exposure including undesirable appearance.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel elastically expansible waistband for trousers which will overcome the foregoing and other disadvantages and deficiencies of prior constructions, and which will provide a new and improved neatness not only in the relaxed state, but also in the expanded state of the waistband.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel connecting structure for the relatively expansible portions of a trousers waistband.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel finishing skirt in an elastically expansible waistband for trousers.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel skirt for expansible waistbands which will afford anatomical support for the wearer.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper, waistband portion of a pair of trousers showing the novel waistband structure according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially along the line H-II of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmental inside elevational view of a modified waistband skirt structure; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional detail view taken substantially on the line IVIV of FIGURE 3.

On reference to FIGURE 1, the trousers depicted are of the mens slacks type, but it will be understood, of course, that principles of the invention are applicable to regular suit trousers, ladies slacks and skirts, and the like, and therefore the term trousers is to be understood in its genetic sense as including any tailored garment having a waistband embodying the principles and features of the present invention.

The trousers depicted are, except for a novel waistband 5, of generally conventional construction including one or more back panels 7, front panels 8 connected at the front by a fly structure '9, one or more side pockets 10 accessible through respective vertical side openings 11 below the waistband 5, and one or more rear pockets 12 accessible through respective horizontal openings 13 in the rear panels 7.

An important feature of the waistband 5 resides in the manner in which adequate expansion is enabled while maintaining a thoroughly neat appearance. To this end, the waistband is constructed in the form of separate sections generally coextensive with the several panels 7 and 8, the rear waistband sections comprising respective rear sections each of which includes an outer panel facing strip 14 and an inner facing strip 15, with at least the outer facing strip 14 in each instance desirably of the same material as the panels 7 and the inner strips 15 also of the same material although other facing material may be used if preferred. At their rear ends the rear :belt sections are secured together along the usual rear seam of the trousers. Along their lower edges the outer strips 14 are secured in finished seam relation to the tops of the rear panels 7, with the upper head portions of the strips 14 turned over and downwardly and secured in finished seam relation to the upper edge portions of the inner strips 15. At least along the forward lower edge portions thereof, the inner facing strips 15 are secured to the upper ends of the rear panels 7 and define with the front end portions of the outer facing strips 14 respective forwardly opening tunnels 17, the open ends of which are closely adjacent to and may be substantially coincident with the vertical side pocket openings 11.

To substantially the same effect, front sections of the waistband 5 are attached to the upper ends of the front panels 8 and comprise outer panel facing strips 18 respectively secured in finished seam relation to the 'panels 8 and turned over at their upper end portions into upper finishing edge relation in cooperation with respective inner facing strips 19. At least at their rear end portions, the inner facing strips 19 are secured along their lower edge portions to the tops of the panels 8 whereby to define with the outer facing strips 18 generally rearwardly o-pening respective tunnels 20.

In order to enable relatively free expansion of the waistband 5 from a normal circumference into a larger circumference to accommodate the wearers waist and to maintain a snug elastic group about the wearers waist, while at all times maintaining a neat appearance, each section of the waistband has a tongue extension thereon which is desirably a continuation of the waistband material at least at the exposed face of the tongue, and which is guidedly engaged in sliding sheathed relation within the tunnel opening theretoward on the adjacently associated waistband section along the respective side of the trousers. For this purpose, each of the front waistband sections is provided with a generally rearwardly extending tongue extension 22 of substantial length which is received in sliding engagement within the respective tunnel 17 of the associated rear waistband section. Therein it is elastically anchored as by means of an elastic strip secured to the tongue as by means of stitching 24. At its opposite end portion, the elastic strip 23 is suitably secured fixedly to the waistband as by means of stitching 25. While the stitching 25 may be to the inner facing or the outer facing 14, or to both, an especially neat appearance is afforded where the stitching does not show on either face of the waistband but is to a strip 27 sandwiched between the facing strips and in this instance comprising a suitable stiffening strip of the kind conventionally employed in better grades of waistband constructions. This stiffening strip may itself be suitably secured within the waistband as at the back seam.

Each of the back sections of the waistband is similarly provided with a generally forwardly extending extension 28 of a length to be received in sliding engagement with in the respective rearwardly opening front tunnel of the associated front waistband section. Each of the tongue extensions 28 is elastically anchored within its tunnel 20 as by means of stitching 29 to an elastic strip 30 which is in turn secured as by stitching 31 to a stiffening strip 32 suitably secured to the associated front waistband sec-' tion as at the respective seam along the fly.

Each of the tongue extensions 22 and 28 is of such a width within is associated tunnel and of such a length that throughout its range of expansion and contraction movement while the garment is being worn not only does the anchored end portion of the tongue extension remain within its tunnel and thus avoids exposure of its anchored end and the attached elastic strip, but there is also a continuous cooperation between the upper and lower edges of the tongue extension and the associated tunnel structure retaining the elastically expansibly related waistband sections in positive vertical alignment and avoiding relative vertical shifting. For the latter purpose, the upper and lower edges of the tongue extensions are in as close as practicable slidably related similar width as the inside width of the associated tunnel, and are in close sliding fit with the upper and lower boundaries thereof.

For finishing purposes, a waistband apron or curtain lining 33 is secured as by means of stitching 34 to the lower margin of the inner liners 15 and 19 of the waistband, and serving as a downward extension of the inside liner panel strips. A stitched on curtain lining is desirable where the pn'mary inside liner strips 15 and 19 are of self-material, namely of the same material as the panels 7 and 8 of the trousers. If preferred, of course, the curtain extension 33 may be an integral part of the inside liner strips where those strips are constructed of lining material. In the construction shown, the curtain strip 33 comprises either a single strip extending entirely along the inside of the waistband and separated only at the fly 9, or for practical purposes is usually split also at the back seam to accommodate tailoring alterations involving the back seam. In any event, the curtain lining 33 at booth sides of the trousers waistband is constructed in one continuous strip, with a pleat 35 aligned with the respective open end of the associated front tunnel 20 to accommodate elastic yielding separation of the respective rear and front sections of the waistband as permitted by the elastic anchorage of the tongue extension 28 to the front section of the waistband.

While the elastically expansible waistband is adapted to provide a certain amount of anatomical, and more particularly abdominal, support, by virtue of the multielastic connections within the waist-band, additional such support is attainable by constructing the curtain lining of elastic material. Such an arrangement is depicted in FIGURES 3 and 4 in which all other parts of the trouser construction including its waistband are identical with the construction of FIGURES 1 and 2 and therefore similarly identified by reference numerals, but an elastic curtain lining 37 is provided which may be of greater width than the curtain lining 33 in order to afford greater area 7 of support. .For example, the elastic curtain lining 37 may be about two and one-half inches in width. Along its upper margin, the curtain lining 37 is continuously attached as by means of stitching 38 to the lower margin of the inside waistband liners 15 and 19. To accommodate tailored finishing and alterations the opposite ends of the elastic curtain lining 37 when made of relatively heavy material may be anchored as by means of vertical stitching 39 to suitable fabric extension pieces 40 which are secured along their upper edges to the waistband liners similarly as the elastic curtain lining 37 and at their respective opposite ends to the fly seam and the back seam. Where the elastic material is of suitable lightness and workability the curtain 37 is desirably in a continuous length from fly seam to the back seam.

In order to relieve excessive strain on that portion of a heavier material comprising the elastic curtain lining 37 in alignment with the respective rearward openings into the tunnels 20, a separable relief slit 41 may be provided therein through the upper margin and to a limited extent into the width of the elastic element 37. In order to maintain elastic support integrity in the relief slit portion of the elastic member, an elastic bridging piece 42 is secured as by stitching 43 along one side of the slit 41, desirably relatively close to that side of the slit, and is anchored at its opposite end portion to the elastic member 37 spaced a greater distance from the slit and preferably in an underlapped relation by extension of the elastic piece 42 through the slit, with stitching 44 securing the underlapped end portion. Along its upper edge, the elastic bridging piece 42 is free from attachment to the waistband so that the bridging piece can yield freely elastically in complementary and reinforcing relation to the upper portion of the elastic waistband curtain strip 37 with which associated. Where a preferred lighter grade of elastic material is used, having freer stretchability, no such relief interruption need be provided but relief is provided by leaving the upper edge free from attachment to the waistband liners 15 and 19 for a limited distance, such as about three-fourths of an inch, at each side of the openings to the tunnels 21. Desirably the elastic curtain 37 is wider than the main portion of the waistband thereabove.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an expansible trousers waistband of the character described:

aligned split waistband sections each having inner and outer linings defining respective elongated tunnels opening generally toward one another;

each of said sections having a tongue extension of substantial length projecting therefrom and received in sliding sheathed relation within the tunnel of the other section; and means elastically anchoring the inner end portion of each tongue extension within its associated tunnel;

the length of the tongue extensions being related to the extent of normal maximum expansion of said sections as permitted by the elastic anchoring means so as to remain in the associated tunnels, and the tongue extensions having upper and lower longitudinal edges complementary to the upper and lower inside width boundaries of the respective associated tunnels and in close sliding fit therewith throughout the entire entunneled lengths of the tongue extensions to hold the sections against vertical shifting from coaxial alignment during relative expansion separating movements.

2. A waistband according to claim 1, including a continuous downward curtain extension from the inner linings of said sections and bridging between said tunnels, said curtain extension having a discontinuous downward slit from its upper edge aligned with the openings between the tunnels, and an expansible bridging piece secured across said slit and having respective opposite ends secured to the curtain extension.

3. A waistband according to claim 2, in which said bridging piece comprises elastic material.

4. A waistband according to claim 1, comprising a downward curtain extension continuously attached along its upper margin to the inner linings of the waistband sections and comprising a strip of relatively heavy elastic material bridging across the ends of said sections and under the tunnel openings, and inelastic fabric strips secured at one of their respective ends to respective opposite ends of said elastic material strip and extending therefrom for anchoring attachment at their opposite ends to an associated trousers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 502,253 7/ 1893 Harris 2237 937,883 10/1909 Sprague 2237 5 2,024,922 12/ 1935 Henidel 2237 2,087,357 7/1937 Persson 2-237 2,526,813 10/1950 Fanning 2-327 FOREIGN PATENTS 10 812,087 4/1959 Great Britain.

H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. XR 

